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A review by niniane
Paris, Paris: Journey Into the City of Light by David Downie
5.0
Interesting descriptions of different aspects of Paris, combining history and the modern situation.
I learned that Paris is actually very cold in the winter which is why they get happy when spring comes. But spring in Paris seems like a marketing trick, because people from warmer places like Italy are somehow eager to go to Paris in April, which is colder.
He talked about his own experience living near the Place de Vosges and how it got cobbled streets and then gentrified. The original stores got turned into designer clothing boutiques.
He likes the two islands, and walking around them at night.
He feels like the money spent keeping the old-fashioned lampposts adds ambiance. Also there are so many cafes.
It seems like people are drawn to the history. In 1900, Paris was at its peak. The empire was large. But women couldn't vote, and there was garbage everywhere. 1500 people got run over by horses every day. But somehow this combination attracted lots of intellectuals and artists.
I like how he connected physical location, history, and ambiance.
I learned that Paris is actually very cold in the winter which is why they get happy when spring comes. But spring in Paris seems like a marketing trick, because people from warmer places like Italy are somehow eager to go to Paris in April, which is colder.
He talked about his own experience living near the Place de Vosges and how it got cobbled streets and then gentrified. The original stores got turned into designer clothing boutiques.
He likes the two islands, and walking around them at night.
He feels like the money spent keeping the old-fashioned lampposts adds ambiance. Also there are so many cafes.
It seems like people are drawn to the history. In 1900, Paris was at its peak. The empire was large. But women couldn't vote, and there was garbage everywhere. 1500 people got run over by horses every day. But somehow this combination attracted lots of intellectuals and artists.
I like how he connected physical location, history, and ambiance.